Toronto – The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) is pleased to announce the winners of its annual industry awards which were presented last night, March 26, at the EDA’s Annual General Meeting in Toronto. The evening was also a celebration for the Association and its members as they celebrated 100 years of representing the companies that deliver electricity to the 4.7 million homes, businesses and public institutions in the province.

“There is a long tradition of achievement in Ontario’s electricity utility industry – this year we are celebrating 100 years as the voice of this province’s Local Distribution Companies (LDCs),” said Charlie Macaluso, EDA President and CEO. “As we celebrate a century of service we are pleased to once again recognize the significant accomplishments of individual utilities that have raised the bar on excellence through their performance, programs and special projects.”

The EDA’s Local Distribution Company (LDC) Performance Excellence Award, sponsored by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) was presented to Essex Powerlines Corp.

Essex Powerlines distinguished itself among its peers by performance excellence in 2011 in the following areas: occupational health and safety, operational excellence, financial operations, retail strategies for conservation and demand management, and for contributions to the community.

"To be excellent is to deliver outstanding performance time over time. As the sponsor of the 2011 LDC Performance Excellence Award, Ontario Power Generation is pleased to congratulate this year's winner, Essex Powerlines Corp.," said Tom Mitchell, OPG's President and CEO. "Their achievements continue to demonstrate how all levels of the electricity industry - generators, transmitters and distributors - add value and contribute to a productive and sustainable Ontario."

Essex Powerlines Corp. is municipally-owned and provides service to residential and business customers in Amherstburg, LaSalle, Leamington, and Tecumseh.

PowerStream demonstrated its commitment to the environment by taking a holistic approach.
The company provided environmental education and training to engage employees, offered environmentally friendly commuting options for staff, upgraded its fleet with electric vehicles and achieving LEED Gold standard with one of its operations centres. In addition, PowerStream provided enhanced customer educational in the area of energy conservation.

EDA Public Relations Excellence Award: North Bay Hydro Distribution Ltd.
The “Watts Up With This” program engaged Grade five and six students in 18 classes from schools across North Bay. More than 500 students and their families participated in the hands-on program that helped them understand how electricity is used in their homes and what they can do use less electricity.

EDA Communications Excellence Award: Enersource Hydro Mississauga Inc.
In 2011, Enersource focused on the development of a new brand identity and upgraded website that helped reinvigorate the direction and focus of the company.

The new corporate tagline “more than energy” is a cornerstone of the rebrand strategy, and features prominently in all external and internal communications.

EDA Customer Service Excellence Award: Hydro Ottawa Ltd.
Hydro Ottawa developed a self-serve program that enabled customers to interact with Hydro Ottawa when and how they want, demonstrating that at Hydro Ottawa, everything starts with the customer in mind. The program posted impressive results with a 42 per cent more customers signing up for online access to their account and a 60 per cent increase in customers signing up for e-Billing.

The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) is the voice of Ontario’s local electricity distributors, the publicly and privately owned companies that safely and reliably deliver electricity to over 4.7 million Ontario homes, businesses and public institutions.

For more information on the EDA Awards, contact the EDA’s Manager of Communications and Media Relations, Kathryn Quail at (905) 265-5337 or 647-627-1826.